Midori Ashita
Early History Born somwhere in the North Eastern United States Midori was surrendered to the state at birth and any records of her biological parents were sealed. Adopted by Dr. Akira Ashita in relatively short order, Midori grew up unaware that she was not his daughter. Though her adoptive father worked long hours in a top secret Human Federation facility, his dedication and help from close friend Doctor Raymond Jacobs saw that the girl lived comfortably and happily, receiving an above average education, until age 12. One unexpected day Akira Ashita suddenly declared that they would be leaving the New York Science Division. Midori, despite her confusion did not object. Unfortunately as they were just about to escape Alan Mao and several MPs cornered them. Akira was able to push Midori into the emergency escape system and activate it even as Mao gunned him down. Midori was found on the North Shore of Oneida Lake by an elderly woman named Amelia Tristan, who took the young girl in and hid her even when the MPs came looking. Midori spent the next four years under the guise of being Amelia's granddaughter, attending a normal high school and staying out of trouble as best she could, even as war began to pour into the Earth Sphere... Enlistment Following her graduation from high-school, with grades just shy of honors, the war was knocking on her door. Midori saw the Fandom Invasion as a naturally wicked act and wanted to help push it back but her experiences had poisoned any faith she had in the Human Federation. In the end there was only one way to act that seemed right to her, to join the elusive DC. With Amelia's blessing Midori trekked across country looking for a way into the DC, which she found via a DC spy in California. She was one of only a handful from the Federation to join the DC. Basic training went smoothly and Midori proved to be an above average pilot though she had a tendency to push the fragile Lion too hard and her Shooting skills were only average at best. These factors and a certain degree of distrust from martian-born officers kept Midori among the rank and file for over a year, until she was randomly selected for resonance tests with the newly recovered G-Stones. As a Member of the Gundam Team Midori was found to have a strong reaction to the G-stones which fast tracked the young woman to the DC's special forces, the Gundam Team, specifically the Valhalla Team under Sume Gai's command. As the test pilot for the MP-X, a proof of concept Machine for Mirror Particles, she did especially well on the battlefield. Off the battlefield the Vibrant young pilot built up a rapport with Team Leader Sume Gai, whom she particularly admires, and the Kamiya siblings. Unfortunately Budget constraints and a focus on mass producible units saw the G-Stone Development Project canceled even as the well performing MP-X was finally overwhelmed and critically damaged by shear numbers at the attack on Jaburo. By this time however she had proved her place on the team and her right to use one of the ESU's New Guarlion Mk IIs, further customized by the Apollo Knight into the Tomorrow Custom. In due time Midori came to be aware of the continuing mistreatment of young girls in the Former Federation's Section 12, Strike Witch Program. Being instantly reminded of her father's ideals and incensed ,at what was being allowed Midori became one of the most vocal proponents of a rescue mission; a wish soon granted. At Panama Midori found herself among those facing off against the devastating Gespenst Annihilate, which managed to shoot her down fairly quickly with its anti-ship T-Link Rippers. However even on foot Midori refused to abandon the mission, She entered the base intent to join the rescue team, who had already failed to save the girls. Almost as disturbing as the sight of the butchered girls was the path of destruction young Emily Stormgunner tore through the base. A path that Midori followed arriving just in time to stop Emily from brutally Killing Jo's second. Though the man committed suicide to try and kill them both Emily managed to save them by manifesting a powerful Force Protect. In the end Emily entrusted capturing Jo and, in turn, bringing her to justice to Midori and Micheal Zabowski. Though the two managed to corner the woman along with Zaine in a hanger from which she intended to escape, only for Midori to discover the body of Lilly Deacons. Zabowski rushed in first and crushed her pelvis fatally but Midori, now lost in rage herself, followed, beating Jo's head into a bloody pulp in her anger. Soon afterwards, even as realization of what she'd just done began to set in, Midori overheard the dying tirade of Clare Rosewater, Including a name that she'd heard just before her Father's death. The Tomorrow Project Faced with the brutality and hippocrasy of her own actions involving Jo, Midori disappeared soon after. In truth she ascended the still intact control tower to be alone with her turbulent thoughts. Though Emily, Zabowski and eventually Gai, attempted to reassure Midori. She found no relief from her guilt and in it new questions about her past. By the night of Jim Ironwood's concert Midori had decided to leave the DC for a period, both to come to terms with the murder of Jo and to find answers about her past. Several weeks later, the day after the New York Science Division had turned itself over to the ESU, Midori snuck into the facility hoping to access the records of her father's old research. She had seemingly little trouble until she was caught by someone she'd never expected, Doctor Raymond Jacobs. It was thanks to this reunion that Midori finally learned the whole truth of her adoption and childhood. She was the product of her adoptive father's ultimate project, the Tomorrow Project. Believing all man would benefit if they were more resistant to injury and disease, if the harshness of extra-terrestrial world were easier to cope with. In short mankind would be that much better if it's individual members were that much stronger. At first Midori initially despaired at this truth, fearing her father had only viewed her as a test subject but Raymond's insistence and the entries in her father's journal made plain that he loved her as dearly as any parent could love their child. In light of her Father's motives, and Jacob's explanation on the meaning of her name. Midori found renewed determination. She recognized that she had to fight, for a better tomorrow. That it was the best way to honor her father's memory. Jacobs, recognizing the same fire that he'd so admired within his old friend and finally finding some forgiveness for his own part in the events that led up to Akira Ashita's death, decided to entrust Midori with two gifts. IXA, the nano-tech battle armor that had in part inspired the Tomorrow Project, and Mazinger, the resilient Super Robot that was Jacob's own life's work. Unlike his superiors Jacobs trusted Midori would put these to good use. However before they could depart Alan Mao burst in along with several MPs, in a scene eerily reminiscent of Akira Ashita's final moments. Jacobs attacked Mao to buy Midori time to activate both IXA and Mazinger however the act of bravery cost him his life. The sudden emotional turmoil triggered IXA's Burst Mode, a System designed to force it's operator to continue fighting even as the strain of IXA tore a normal body apart, In this case it sent Midori into a blind rage, Trashing the hanger, killing Mao in the process, and breaking out to wreak havoc on the base. The sturdy machine incapacitated several Jegans, Gai's Huckebein Mk II M, Erin's Core Fighter, and even proved difficult for the rest of the Gundam Team. Thankfully Emily was able to get through to Midori and stop the rampage before anyone beyond those in the hanger was seriously hurt. Even so soon after she'd found new resolve Midori found it shaken by the damage she'd caused and how close she'd come to killing her friends. However even as she lay in the brig Midori recognized the Truth of her Father's words, she had to learn from her mistakes of yesterday and keep trying to make tomorrow better. Thankfully a dedicated defense effort backed by Sume Gai and Apollo Knight, saw her proven innocent in court and back with the Gundam Team. Now she is determined to do her part to make a better tomorrow. Personality Despite a large number of influences in her turbulent life it is quite clear her father, adoptive or not, was the central pillar in developing her character. She lives by his Mantra that "Yesterday shapes us, but we shape Tomorrow.", fervently acting in the interest of giving people a better tomorrow, always fighting for hope no matter how desperate things become. She does this in memory of her late 'father' and 'uncle' believing this to be the best way to honor the men she so admired. Midori has a fiery passion for 'justice' against those who she feels abused others or somehow prevented them from having a future. This Passion, strong enough to drive a GS ride, has however also been her greatest weakness. She is quick to anger when someone pushes the right buttons, and will act without restraint once someone goes too far. Following the incidents with Jo and later Alan Mao, Midori is working to control this problem, though it is unclear how much progress she has made. Machines